Study Report on Problems and Prospects of Handloom Sector in Employment Generation in the Globally Competitive Environment Study Team Dr Sudhanshu K K Mishra, Rakesh Srivastava and K I Shariff, Dy General Managers/Faculty Members Bankers Institute of Rural Development, Lucknow 2016 Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD) Sector ‘H’, LDA Colony, Kanpur Road, Lucknow-226 012, Uttar Pradesh (India) Phone – 0522-2421187, 2421137 Fax No. – 0522-2421047, 2421176; e-mail:
[email protected] or training.birdlucknow@nabard. Website: www.birdlucknow.in Disclaimer This document has been prepared by Bankers Institute of Rural Development, Lucknow (BIRD) based on the field study by a team comprising of Dr. Sudhanshu K K Mishra, S/Shri Rakesh Kumar Srivastava, and K I Shariff, Faculty Members. The study report has been prepared based on the field study and also the feedback received from various stake holders in the handloom sector. While BIRD has undertaken all efforts to ensure the accuracy of information, errors and omissions cannot be ruled out. The views expressed in the report are that of the study team. It does not necessarily represent/reflect the policy/view of BIRD or National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). Foreword The handloom sector is special as it nurtures and preserves ancient weaving skills which are unique to each state and region and also provides employment to large number of rural households. It is also true that handloom weaving as an activity is in deep crisis with low productivity, low wages, low literacy levels, firmly entrenched middlemen and very little formal bank finance flowing to the sector.